Venn Diagrams

Lucas sees so many birds outside of the classroom. They are all different colors and sizes! Can you help Lucas sort the birds he sees?
We will use a Venn diagram to sort the birds. A Venn diagram uses two circles to sort items and show different traits. Traits are things we see that items (or birds) have in common. The two circles overlap so that we can sort by one trait, another trait, and by both traits. Let’s help Lucas sort the birds using the Venn diagram!
Here are some of the birds outside of the classroom. The birds that are big will go here. The birds that are blue will go here. The birds that are both big and blue will go here. Which birds are big?
Yes! These three birds are big.
Which birds are blue?
That’s right! These two birds are blue. Are there any birds that are big and blue?
This one! There is one bird that is big and blue.
Here are the birds we saw and sorted. Now we can show the sorting we did on the Venn diagram. This big blue bird will go in the middle. These big birds will go on the left. This last blue bird will go on the right. Now we can see the two birds that are big, the one bird that is blue, and the one bird that is big and blue!
Lucas sees more birds! What traits do you see?
What about small and brown? We can sort small birds on the left and brown birds on the right. Any small, brown birds will get sorted in the middle! Which birds are small?
Yes! These two birds are small.
Which birds are brown?
That’s right! These three birds are brown. Are there any birds that are small and brown?
This one! This one bird is small and brown.
Can you use the Venn diagram to show the birds we sorted? Here is the small, brown bird. Where does it go on the Venn diagram?
You’ve got it! The small brown bird goes in the middle. Here is the small bird. Which side does it go on?
Great! The small bird goes on the left. That means the birds that are brown go on the right. Now we can see the one bird that is small, the two birds that are brown, and the one bird that is small and brown!
Lucas sees one more group of birds. He wants to show the birds that are brown, the birds that are green, and the birds that are brown and green. Let’s look for any birds that have some brown on them. Which birds are brown?
Fantastic! These four birds all have some brown on them. Now, let’s look for any birds that have some green on them. Which birds are green?
Excellent! These four birds all have some green on them. Can you find any birds that have both brown and green on them?
Wonderful work! These two birds have both brown and green on them.
Can you use the Venn diagram to show the birds we sorted? Where do we put the birds that are brown and green?
You’ve got it! The brown and green birds go in the middle. Where do the green birds go?
Great job! The green birds go on the right. That means the brown birds go on the left. Now we can see the two birds that are brown, the two birds that are green, and the two birds that are brown and green!
Thank you for helping Lucas sort the birds outside of the classroom with Venn diagrams!